Crusade for the ages
by PrincessStarwind
Summary: the wake after the storm


The door peers open as she sits on the love seat, her legs curled up under her, a letter clutched in her hands. "Mistress" a meek quiet voice chimes, "The Gentleman Death is here to see you.."  
  
She looks up and sets the letter to her right, looking at the tall slender man in the doorway. "Send him in James." Her face lights up as the tall dark, cloaked figure strolls in. "Marius! Dear friend what news do you bring me?" A soft smile comes crossed her face as she stands to greet him, her hands reached out to him. "That is all James, you may leave us." James exits the room and goes back to his work.  
  
Marius begins to speak "Angel I..." Angel interrupts "Where is Pandora? Where's Shadow? Oh how badly I want to see my Shadow, is he waiting outside? Tell me where Shadow is Marius, I must see him!" "That's why I'm here.." he takes her hands. "I-I lost him.."  
  
The smile on her face fades, and her blue eyes begin to glaze and well up with tears. "Marius! How could you?! Your only mission was to make sure he returned home!!" Marius quietly puts his arm around her trying to console her. Angel drops to her knees sobbing uncontrollably and her voice chimes down the corridors "JAMES!!!!" In pops the tall slender spike-headed boy. "Mistress what's the matter?" He quickly rushes to her side; she looks up at him and wipes the water from her eyes. "Send for my assassins, send for the best I have! I want Shadow found! Please find him PLEASE!!!" James quickly exits the room.  
  
Her head then jolts to Marius as her eyes turn a crimson red "You! Find Pandora; send for Faith and Gene, Shadow must be found! And when he is...if he's harmed its your head!"  
  
She stands to her feet and dusts off her clothes returning to her letter. She looks at it in disbelief, "This can't be the last letter I ever receive from my love, it just can't be."  
Meanwhile, up the steps walks a beautiful woman dressed down in black attire, followed behind her is a man, long black hair horns and a tail, almost the devil himself. They burst in the doors to the building, and James gets out of his seat.  
  
"Who..Who are you guys?" Marius comes in from the shadows behind James's desk and looks at the pair. "Good you two could come so quickly." Gene steps forward, "Its not our asses that are on the line..Its yours, now why were we summoned!" Faith straightens her tight black skirt and smiles. "Calm down Z, Angel wouldn't call us here if it wasn't important, now what's all this about Marius? Didn't you do as you were asked?" Marius looks at the floor. "No." A shocked look comes to Faith's face "Then Shadow is missing??" "Poor Angel" Gene looks forth at her office door. "May we go in and see her?" James leads the two in and shuts the door behind them making a quick exit.  
  
Faith quickly moves across the room and to Angel's side. Angel stands to meet Faith, her silky vampiric pale skin stained with blood red tears "We'll find him she says, "But I don't understand how only Marius and Pandora could come back, but Shadow couldn't." suddenly Angel's face lights up "Pandora! That bitch!" Angel moves to the door grabbing her trench coat and her daggers. "Come Gene, come Faith, if we find Pandora we'll find my Shadow! I'm sure of it!" Angel rushes from her office, weapons bared, her trench coat draped to the floor. "James call off my assassins, they wont be necessary.." "But Mistress!" James says in distress as Angel exits the building, Gene and Faith behind her.  
  
Angel sends Faith and Gene to keep after Marius as she trails off into the countryside in search of her lost lover.  
  
Angel sticks her nose up in the air and takes a deep breath "The trail stops cold here." She phases out to the nearest source of body heat. She appears in mid-air right above her beloved. She tries desperately not to immediately rush to him, no; she awaits his captor, Pandora.  
  
Pandora strolls in from a distant door and looks around sensing a new presents, she walks calmly over to Shadow, as she approaches he pulls at his restraints. "Hello darling," she says tauntingly "LET ME GO DAMN YOU! MY DARLING ANGEL WILL COME FOR ME!!" suddenly Pandora bursts out laughing. "Angel..Come here HAH! Don't make me laugh, Marius will have never made it to her, so how will she ever know?" Angel drops down from the ceiling much to Pandora's surprise.  
  
Angel throws a punch in Pandora's face. "I've always hated you! Now you give me a reason!" Angel hits her repeatedly, slamming her into a distant wall. Angel shoves Pandora's head against the wall, holding her there. "Why Pandora? I trusted you, and you do this?!" Pandora grins, "He's mine I tell you, He was always mine, until you came along." Pandora growls and Angel looks her dead in the eyes. "Well you seem to be a problem then don't you? I can take care of that." Before Pandora can say another word Angel reaches her hands up on Pandora's head and neck, and snaps her neck instantly killing her. "See bitch you dead."  
  
Angel walks over and releases her lover, and he takes her into his arms. He leans his face down and gently nuzzles her nose "I'm so glad you came, you know I love you right?" She nods softly and softly kisses his lips. "Yea I know." The two leave and collect their friends, going home until the next crusade. 


End file.
